Agricultural News

Cattlemen from across the United States just recently wrapped up their visit to Washington, D.C. during the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Spring Legislative Conference, where they met with policymakers to lobby for issues most concerning to the beef industry. Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays caught up with NCBA President and Nebraska feeder Craig Uden, to discuss how the meeting went for the organization, which he says attracted roughly 250 cattlemen. You can listen to the conversation between Hays and Uden regarding NCBA’s Spring Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., by clicking or tapping the LISTEN BAR below at the bottom of this story.

“It was a really exciting conference,” Uden said. “We had ‘Boots on the Hill,’ so everybody got to go see their congressmen and their senators. The really neat thing is - this year we did something different…”

Uden reveals that several of the new leaders from the different agencies, including some of the cabinet members themselves, met one-on-one with the group to talk and answer questions. Notable guest speakers included both Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt.

“Mr. Pruitt was really encouraging that we’re going to have a little more opportunity to help control some of these burdensome policies,” Uden said. “Putting the people back in charge is kind of what we heard out there.”

Trade remained as one of the most prominent talking points during the conference. With the Trans-Pacific Partnership off the table and still yet, no trade representative confirmed to uphold the industry’s economic interests abroad, Uden asserts that much attention was focused on the subject. And although he says markets have remained fairly strong in recent month, he says it is important to work towards policies that will ensure the markets stamina.

“What’s really surprised everybody I think has been the solid, solid demand,” he said. “Beef is growing leaps and bounds as far as the domestic product and the choice of the American consumer. But, we still have to continue to work on trade because if we don’t, we’ll have to consume that much more.”

Listen to the conversation between Hays and Uden regarding NCBA's Spring Legislative Conference